The Cage Assembly System provides a convenient way to construct large optomechanical systems with an established line of precision machined building blocks designed for high flexibility and accurate alignment. Please see the Cage Overview Tab for a full definition of this widely adapted construction standard.
Cage cubes and cube accessories are key components of our optomechanical cage assemblies. Cage cubes are an ideal way to join multiple sub-systems via a centrally located interface to complex systems. They can also act as an instrumentation box for small electro-optic components. The solid one-piece construction, machined parallel and perpendicular to within 0.002" (0.05 mm), maintains excellent alignment of joined sub-systems.
The SC6W is designed to be used with the 16 mm cage system. It has four SM05 (0.535"-40) tapped holes and two opposite sides with Ø0.635" through-holes. There are four #4-40 tapped holes on each side to mount any small cage system rods or plates as needed.
The C4W and C6W cubes are designed to interface directly with a 30 mm cage system assembly.
The C4W offers four planar cube faces with #4-40 tapped holes for mounting cage system rods centered on an SM1 (1.035"-40) threaded hole. The "top" and "bottom" faces of the cube are machined with Ø1.75" (44 mm) holes and #4-40 tapped holes designed for mounting our Cage Cube Accessory Plates.
The C6W offers the same machined face options as the C4W with the exception of two opposing faces machined with Ø6mm through-holes rather than #4-40 tapped holes, allowing cage rods to pass through the cube rather than be fastened to it. This unique feature allows the cube to be translated along the cage rods, then locked in place with clamping screws. Special Note: When used with a B4C, cage rods will not be able to pass through the C6W. In these instances, two sets of cage rods will be needed to continue the cage system on the opposite side of the C6W.
The LC6W offers four planar cube faces with #4-40 tapped holes for mounting cage rods centered on an SM2 (2.035"-40) threaded hole. The "top" and "bottom" faces of the cube are machined with Ø2.5" (63.5 mm) holes and #4-40 tapped holes designed for mounting our cube accessory plates.
